Australian man nabbed for tank rampage

SYDNEY, Australia - A man went on a rampage with a stolen armored personnel carrier through suburban Sydney on Saturday, crashing into several mobile phone towers, telecommunications buildings and an electricity substation before being arrested.

The man led officers on a 90-minute chase across six western suburbs before the vehicle stalled as it was being driven toward another mobile phone tower, New South Wales police said in a statement.

The armored personnel carrier was from a company called A-One Lift Truck Services in the town of Minchinbury, and was popular with students hiring it for school formals, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Greg Morris, the owner of the company, said he hired the man, identified as John Robert Patterson, to help restore the 40-year-old vehicle, the paper reported.

Police charged him with numerous offenses, including predatory driving, possession of a prohibited drug and use of a weapon to avoid apprehension.

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